Structure sensitivity in the ruthenium nanoparticle catalyzed aqueous-phase Fischer-Tropsch reaction

Low-temperature Fischer–Tropsch reaction data are reported for Ru nanoparticles suspended in the water phase. Their activity and selectivity strongly depends on particle size, when varied between 1 to 5 nm. Small particles display high oxygenates selectivity. The Anderson–Schulz–Flory (ASF) chain-growth probability for oxygenates is significantly lower than that observed for hydrocarbons. The chain growth parameter for hydrocarbon formation is independent of particle size. For oxygenates it is constant only for particles larger than 3 nm. Oxygenate and hydrocarbon formation occur on different sites. The ASF chain-growth probability for oxygenate formation increases with temperature. For very small 1.2 nm particles it shows a maximum as a function of temperature. This unusual temperature dependence is due to relatively slow CO dissociation compared to the rate of C–C bond formation.